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Second I.H.: surgery or not?
I posted a few days ago about developing a second inguinal hernia on my left side after open surgery @ nine months ago on the right side. I have an appointment with the surgeon in about a month, and naturally, we will discuss scheduling another surgery. At this point, I’m not sure what to decide- I still have occasional twinges, etc. from my first surgery, though I’m assuming it’s going well. Still, don’t like the idea of getting another surgery while sort of waiting for the first one to heal completely. I delayed surgery for @ 3 years with the first one with no problems, before I resolved to get it fixed so I could be free of it. On the other hand, the new one is making a bigger lump than the first one, and it’s giving me some pain, unlike the first one. On the other hand, at present, I have one site where complications (chronic pain, etc.) are a possibility-if I have the second surgery, I will have two potential trouble spots. “Get it done so you can get on with your life” got me through the first surgery, and I suppose it will get me through the second, but it didn’t quite work out that way.
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10 Replies
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I should have added-Thank you all for your responses. This site is THE resource for those of us dealing with this condition.
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Doctor: Yes, open with mesh. I am considering lap. this time. After research, I concluded that open was the simplest and easiest type of repair, and I wanted things to be simple. My surgeon does both so lap is an option. On the other hand, the more complex any procedure is, the more chance there is of something going wrong. That, anyway, is my attitude.
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[USER=”2921″]Hiway40blues[/USER] what kind of repair was your first one? If open with mesh, consider laparoscopic for the next one.
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Dear Catbird.
I agree that increased pain from the hernia is an indication that you should have repair sooner than later.
Regards.
Bill Brown MD -
Don’t think so, from my research. It does motivate you to get it repaired though.
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Does a painful hernia mean a greater chance of strangulation? Or is the recommendation of surgery because of pain relief?
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Keep in mind that if you’re going to want a good solid tissue repair done, that it would be best to get it fixed ASAP since you say the new hernia is getting bigger than your first. If the defect becomes larger and larger then it might be hard to do a good tissue repair because of the high risk of a recurrence which means another surgery. Also, it’s important to find someone who’s skilled in a tissue repair which will more than likely mean traveling and possibly paying out of pocket (although it for sure wouldn’t be as expensive as a mesh repair) if they aren’t in your network. If you’re close to someone who is skilled in a tissue repair then that’s awesome.
If you’re only getting occasional twinges here and there and not any pain, then don’t let that be a reason from steering away from a mesh repair, especially if it’s only been nine months. You’re still gonna get those little twinges for quite some time. There are a lot of skilled surgeons who do excellent mesh repairs and if you do choose to go the mesh route, it’ll be good to find not just a general surgeon who does a few, but a hernia specialist who does hernia operations daily. Sometimes looking for a hernia specialist will mean some traveling too though, depending on where you live. But it’s understandable though if you do choose not to do mesh, it’s just a matter of weighing the risks and benefits, as with any type of hernia repair (mesh or no mesh). Look at both sides. Good luck to you!
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Thanks to both of you for the advice. That is certainly something to consider.
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Dear Hiway.
Since the hernia on the left is symptomatic, I would advise you to have it repaired when convenient for you.
I agree with Good Intentions that a pure tissue repair will give you a good result without having to worry about complications from the mesh.
Sometimes if the mesh is injected with steroids, then your pain will improve.
Best wishes
Bill Brown MD -
Since you know what at least one type of mesh repair feels like, consider a suture-based repair on the second one. If it fails, via recurrence not chronic pain, then you can always get a mesh repair. The logical path of hernia repair is suture first, then take the risk of chronic pain frommesh if the suture repair fails.
Today’s methodology gives all patients the highest risk of chronic pain/discomfort from the very beginning. Start over from the less risky point.
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